Box-coupling.



W; C. CLARK.

BOX COUPLING. APPLlCATiON FILED MAR. 21.1917.

Patented Nov. 27, 1917.

WITNESSES: JNVENTORL a? PM 1 ML; ATTQRAGEK' UNITED Q'ITATES PATENT orr oa.

1 248 423 Specification 01' Letters Patent. Patented Noy- 27, 1917- Application filed March 21, 1 17. I Serial No. 156,487.

To all whom it may concern: a in a sleeve 7 that fits slidingl over the ends, Be it known that I, WVILLIAM O. CLARK, of the wabble and spindle. This sleeve has a citizen of the United States, residing at a collar 8 by which it may be engaged'vto- St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented slide it along the spindle in the direction of 60' r certain new and useful Improvements in the arrow to free the end of the wabble Box-Couplings, of. which the following is a from the said keys which fit loosely within specification. the sleeve and grooves except when held This invention relates to certain new and firmly in sald grooves by the com ressiv useful improvements in box couplings for action on the said horns 5. The orm o shafts, and is especially adapted for couclip illustrated engages by its ends the horns pling the lower roll of a hot mill to the of two adjacent keys and is secured through driving spindle. its middle by a screw bolt 10 entering a The object of my invention is to overcome threaded opening in said sleeve. By means the backlash and promote the efficiency of 'ofthis bolt a, compression can be exerted on 15 the driven mill. the horns ofthe said keys, and since the To this end my improvements have referhorns extend beyond the outer circumference to a multiple number-oi? locking pieces ence of,the sleeve a space is left between interposed between the driving andthe the clip and the sleeve which allows the clip driven members, and so disposed and arto act like a very stifi sprin in its compres- 20 ranged with regard to said members anda' sive action on' said keys. ymeans of the retaining member, that the driving force is rounding bottom on said keys engaging the transmitted without irregularity or back rounded grooves-of said wabble and spindle, lash. each keyis firmly seated in its groove by In the accompanying drawing on which said compressive action, constant but slightly 25 like reference letters indicate corresponding yielding, that is exerted by the clip 9 or parts, other suitable form. Any inequality of con- Figure 1 represents the ends of a hot roll tact of the said keys spann'in the grooves and a driving spindle connected by a box 3 of the wabblc and spindle 'is thus equalized, coupling exemplifying my invention; and backlash is reduced to a minimum or 39 Fig. 2,-a longitudinal sectionon an axial eliminated entirely.

plane; While I have shown the said clip 9 in-pairs Fig. 3, a cross section on the line a: w. of the compressive action ma be secured by Fi 2; and other means such as a clamping ring as in ig. 4, across section on the line 3 y of dicated by dotted lines in Fig. 4. This ring, 35 the same figure.- though not secured by screw bolts to .the The numeral 1 designates, for example, sleeve, would likewise exert a yieldin comone end of the lower roll of a hot mill for pressive' action upon the horns of sai keys rolling plates and sheet metal, and 2 the according to the tightness of adjustment of adjacent end of a driving spindle. Both theclamping bolt l0ias indicated. 49 members are provided with recesses or I have shown two ho'rnsbn each key for moves 3 preferably four, in number, paralthe principal reason of reducin the length 31 to t1. axis and practically matching of the slot 6 and providingsti ness at the when the members are properly alined. The center o'fthe sleeve by the ortion 11 of the bottom of the recesses are rounding and the sleeve intermediate of said horns. I pre- 9 45 sides approach more and more to radial fer that the keys should have considerable planes as they near the circumference of the axial length for engagement with the reroll or the spindle; they may be otherwise spective grooves of the matching'ends of the shaped, however. shafts, and have shown the ke practical y In these grooved recesses are located lockas long as the sleeve itself. T e horns 've 50 ing pieces or keys 4.- that span, the joint bestlfi'ness to the portion formlng .the ey tween the end of the roll or wabble, and proper, and are preferably-beveled on their the adjacent end of said spindle. The botouter cdges to their junction with the inner tom edges of these are rounded or otherwise, orb-"m of said key. Thespacabetween said formed to match the grooved recesses 3, and .znatches the central portion 11 of the and is preferably perpendicular to the corresponding openings 6 shafts so that said keys may readily slide 55 have horns 5 (preferably two) projecting st;

outward throng along in the grooves when the compressive action is released for adjustment or reinoval of the coupling. As illustrated, the coupling is centrally adjusted over the meeting ends of the shafts, and the horns in each key are adapted 'to transmit the compressive force of the clips, clamping ring or other means,

directly to the corresponding shaft adjacent to the respective horns.

While I have described this coupling as. applied to the meeting ends of a spindle and Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with adjacent ends of two shafts having rounded grooves in alinement, of matching keys engaging said grooves, a sleeve loosely fitting said shafts -:nd said keys, and means to exert a compressive action on said keys substantially as described. t i

2. The combination with adjacent ends of two shafts having rounded grooves in alinement, of matching keys engaging said grooves, a sleeve loosely fitting said shafts and said keys, and spring clips adapted to exert a yielding compressive action on said keys substantially as described.

3. The combination with the Wabble of a hot roll and a driving spindle having grooves substantially in alinem-ent, of the herein described box ,coupling comprising a sleeve, loosely mounted on said shafts and having openings opposite said grooves, keys adapted to fit said alined grooves and having horns projecting outward through the openings of said sleeve and compressive clips adapted to act on saidhorns and effect intimate engagement of said keys and grooves.

4. As a new article of manufacture the herein described box coupling'comprisin a. sleeve adapted to fit loosely over the aja cent ends of alined shafts, locking pieces Within said sleeve adapted to engage said shafts, and a clip outside of said sleeve adapted to, exert a regulated compressive action on two or more of said locking pieces engaging said shafts. 5. The herein described box couplingcomprising a cylindrical sleeve having openings at each side of a central brace and arranged in pairs diametrically disposed, locking pieces each having a pair of horns project ing through said openings beyond said sleeve, and embracing means bearing on a plurality of said horns substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM G CLARK. Witnesses:

R. C, BARNEY, H. J, Assessors,

(topic; at this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the"0ommiss1uner of Patents, Washington, D. c." 

